KGET 17 News Bakersfield hit-and-run suspect turned himself in after crash Lakeside Union School District Grand Jury Report flags concerns Looking at the behind-the-scenes technology behind 911 calls States with the most strict DUI laws - info from Nolo 1 dead at construction site in west Bakersfield Digital Addiction: The time spent in front of cellphone screens has 'rewired' modern childhood Ojai Valley News photo by Perry Van Houten A flatbed tow truck from Adamson’s Towing prepares to right a vehicle that rolled over on Rice Road in Mira Monte One person was taken to the hospital following a solo vehicle rollover crash in Mira Monte on Monday according to the California Highway Patrol “The Honda CRV was traveling northbound on Rice Road at an unknown speed and for unknown reasons under investigation collided with a parked GMC Denali that was also facing northbound parked along the curb,” said CHP officer Christopher Byrd blocking the southbound lane of Rice Road,” Byrd told the Ojai Valley News at the scene The vehicle’s airbags deployed in the crash According to the CHP Traffic Incident Information Page the driver of the Honda was trapped inside the vehicle the adult female driver did not require extrication according to a spokesman for Ventura County Fire Station 22 in Meiners Oaks “The solo occupant was transported in an unknown condition to the hospital,” said Byrd The CHP conducted alternating traffic control on Rice Road at Lake Avenue while a flatbed tow truck from Adamson’s Towing removed the vehicle the extent of damage to the GMC was unknown Email notifications are only sent once a day or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to read or post comments One subscription gets you full access to the Ojai Valley News | Ventura County Sun coverage daily online Subscribe today for as little as $1.12 per week Thank you for supporting local independent accurate View archived e-Editions of Ojai Valley News Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Subscriber digital copy of Friday's newspaper Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Travis Escalante of Ojai was driving on Ventura Avenue on Saturday when he pulled over to get this photograph of the burning Volvo XC90 hybrid The Ventura County Fire Department's infrared-sensing drone shows the intense heat of 750 degrees Fahrenheit coming off the Volvo XC0 that ignited on Highway 33 at Tico Road in Mira Monte The temperature was measured after the smoke from the fire had dissipated A Volvo XC90 hybrid fire in Mira Monte on Saturday resulted in evacuation orders issued at 10 a.m to residents on the south side of Cruzero Street from Baldwin Road to Loma Drive; and shelter-in-place orders to residents on the north side of Orchard Drive Evacuation orders were downgraded to shelter-in-place advisories after 1 p.m Ventura County Fire Department described the fire as a “thermal runaway” incident that occurred at 9:29 a.m when the hybrid vehicle caught fire at 11684 Ventura Ave. Even after the smoke had dissipated, an infrared-sensing drone detected intense heat of up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit from the vehicle, according to the Ventura County Fire Department, which posted the drone video on its Facebook page at facebook.com/venturacountyfire/ Ventura County Fire Department described the fire on its X site as a “thermal runaway” incident creating “a challenging and hazardous condition,” which “poses unique risks to responders The safest approach is often to let the battery burn itself out while firefighters manage the situation from a safe distance as direct extinguishment can sometimes exacerbate the fire.” Thermal runaway is described in a vehicle as an increase in temperature within a battery cell that leads to a series of reactions Travis Escalante of Ojai said he was driving past the fire at about 10 a.m 25 when he pulled over near Tico Road to get a photo of the fire “It was pretty hot and I was across the street,” he said VCFD posted a video of the burning vehicle on its X account at https://tinyurl.com/yn3ex792 two fire engines and two California Highway Patrol units responded to the vehicle fire due to the heavy smoke and possible risk of expanded fire issued a press release about the Mira Monte fire on Jan “The fire highlights the challenges faced by firefighters and first responders in addressing the unique risks posed by electric vehicle batteries.” Behind the counter at Ojai Village Pharmacy’s new location in Mira Monte are The move puts the pharmacy in the middle of the same shopping center as Subway and Domino’s Pizza and so far we’ve gotten very good feedback from all of our customers Customers are greeted by plenty of parking and a bright new azure sign above the pharmacy’s front doors I designed the sign myself,” said Manukian who’s owned the business for nearly six years Manukian made the move to Mira Monte after being unable to secure a lease at her former location She promised pharmacy customers there would be no interruption in service 1 priority was to make sure the pharmacy was up and running,” she said “I want to continue to provide everything we’ve done for so many years — the old-fashioned service.” as well,” Manukian told the Ojai Valley News Ojai Village Pharmacy will add a separate vaccination room introduce a variety of Eastern herbal supplements and a bigger selection of gift items “For the next few months we’re running a promotion where we offer free We will bring to you what you need as far as medication,” Manukian said Free deliveries are available within a 5-mile radius the pharmaceutical business isn’t an easy one to be in you’re in the middle between the insurance company and the customer,” she said But none of Ojai Village Pharmacy’s six employees have gone away and the “mom-and-pop feeling” of the store remains “You just can’t get this kind of service everywhere.” Manukian misses the cat’s claw creeper vine that covered the pharmacy in its former location at Ojai Avenue and Signal Street and that’s exactly the response from customers They miss the old place but they love the new one,” she said Ojai Village Pharmacy is the oldest pharmacy in Ventura County the business is beginning its next chapter better than ever and now I just want to pass that on to my customers,” she said “I just want them to know that I care deeply about every single one of them A Volvo XC90 hybid vehicle smokes after it was reported on fire on Saturday The Ventura County Fire Department described the fire as a dangerous "thermal runaway," leading to evacuation and shelter-in-place orders downgraded to evacuation warnings at 1 p.m Ventura County Sheriff's Deputy Scott Garner is among the officers blocking Highway 33 at Loma Drive due to the electric vehicle fire on the highway the morning of Saturday The highway is estimated to be closed from Loma Drive to Baldwin Road for a couple of hours The shelter-in-place advisory was lifted at 8:45 p.m for the "thermal runaway" incident that occurred at 9:29 a.m when a Volvo XC90 hybrid vehicle caught fire at 11684 Ventura Ave. Ventura Avenue is open in both directions between West Villanova Road  and Loma Drive after being closed most of the day due to the fire Evacuation orders were issued Saturday morning about 10 a.m from Baldwin Road to Loma Drive; and shelter- in-place orders were issued to residents on the north side of Orchard Drive The evacuation orders were downgraded to shelter-in-place advisories after 1 p.m Residents were encouraged to follow VCEmergency.com for the latest evacuation updates Ventura County Fire Department engineer and public information officer said the Volvo could not be moved until it had cooled down Even after the smoke had dissipated, an infrared-sensing drone detected intense heat of up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit from the vehicle, according to the Ventura County Fire Department, which posted the drone video on its Facebook page Ventura County Fire Department posted on its X account that the fire was a "thermal runaway," describing it as "a challenging and hazardous condition," which "poses unique risks to responders as direct extinguishment can sometimes exacerbate the fire." VCFD posted a video of the burning vehicle on its X account HERE • This article was corrected from the original report from the Ventura County Fire Department The vehicle that caught on fire is a Volvo XC90 hybrid •The evacuation order was in place till about 1 p.m when it was downgraded to a shelter-in-place advisory NOTE: This article is provided free. Please subscribe to the Ojai Valley News | Ventura County Sun to help provide this important news reporting. SUBSCRIBE HERE Ojai Valley News photo by Marianne Ratcliff and community members hold up the "Missing Person" flyers listing a $10,000 reward for Zyanya's return at a table set up along the bike path in the 11000 block of North Ventura Avenue It was the base for a massive community search that included about 60 people with photos and description of missing Mira Monte woman Anyone who sees her is asked to call 9-1-1 Ojai Valley news photo by Marianne Ratcliff Ventura County Sheriff's detectives were able to see that a ping from Zyanya Valora's cell phone was noted on her computer to be from the area of Barbara and Oakcrest streets at 2:42 a.m That is about two blocks from Zyanya's home and is close to a bus stop mother of missing 21-year-old Zyanya Valora speaks with community members helping search for her autistic daughter along the bike path in the 11000 block of North Ventura Avenue on Friday The Valora family of Mira Monte has raised $10,000 to offer as a reward “for the successful location and physical recovery” of 21-year-old Zyanya Valora who was reported missing from her home on June 25 July 12 — Day 18 of Zyanya Valora’s disappearance — her family organized a massive community search If anyone sees Zyanya or has any information about her The flyer the family is handing out describes Zyanya as Hispanic She also has a mole on her forehead and a large mole on her right arm She was last seen by her family on June 24 wearing a white tank top and black boxer-style shorts Some 60 people gathered July 12 along the bicycle path outside the Country Village Mobile Home Park in the 11000 block of North Ventura Avenue to help Zyanya’s parents Zyanya’s last known contact was a ping from her phone to her computer on June 25 at 2:42 a.m in the area of Barbara and Oakcrest streets two blocks from her home at the mobile home park the family organized more outreach in Oxnard at the corner of Vineyard Avenue and Oxnard Boulevard the family held a carwash in the Montalvo Plaza in Ventura to raise money for the search and spread the word about Zyanya’s disappearance searched extensively from June 25 to 30 for the at-risk 21-year-old woman but scaled back their search efforts significantly on June 30 Family member Veronica Lujano said she wishes law enforcement could send out an Amber Alert about Zyanya to spread the news about her missing beyond Ventura County Even though the criteria for an Amber Alert is for children under age 18 with her autism and developmental age about 12 or 13 Zyanya’s family has not stopped looking for their daughter niece and cousin and were heartened by the turnout Friday “We need to keep going; otherwise we will not find her,” said Zyanya’s mother “Day by day.” She said family members have contributed to the reward fund and they are collecting donations for the search efforts She said she was grateful to see Brook Belgum She said sheriff’s detectives are investigating Zyanya’s disappearance A screen from Zyanya’s bedroom window was found removed the day she went missing Damaris said it is likely Zyanya left the house via the window so the family dog would not alert the family to her leaving Zyanya was reported missing once before in 2020 she was found in a nearby Baptist church within a few hours Among those showing up July 12 to knock on doors drive around looking and telling passersby to keep their eyes open was Bonnie Sibila and her daughter “I kept seeing on Facebook mom groups that I follow asking for help in locating her,” Bonnie said “I am pretty shocked it has been 18 days." Kylee said she was spending the afternoon with her mom searching for Zyanya because “I felt really bad for her” and participating in a search party is a way of helping who met a local woman named Lynn at the search table teamed up to search near the baseball fields and asked area residents to check their security cameras and outbuildings for any sign of Zyanya They drove around Lake Casitas and by Coyote Creek and handed out flyers at Foster Park 12 and 9; I can just imagine I’d be out here Gina Pisciotta of Ojai said she wants to help “I am here just to support a mom,” said Becky Swift of Oak View “It was really in my heart to see this fixed,” said Rachel Hunt of Meiners Oaks “People are very concerned,” said Shannon Allen of Ojai who was handing out flyers and letting people know about Zyanya at Circle K “I am heartbroken this mom has to coordinate this.” One family member said that while they were handing out flyers in a neighborhood across the street from the mobile home park a woman who described herself as an “intuitive,” said she had the psychic impression that Zyanya was taken in the night and is not in the area a handful of searchers remained at the bike path where a table was set near the “Missing Person” signs slices of oranges and watermelon and a cardboard box of flyers with Zyanya’s photo and description A woman with a sign that read “Mary F” set up a display of pretty earrings selling for $5 as a donation to help the family raise money for the search those assembled stood by the search table for a photo by the Ojai Valley News holding up the “Missing Person” flyers they are handing out Damaris was told couple of tenuous leads about a possible sighting of Zyanya in a Ram truck with two men at Circle K and a man who said she might have been seen with a man at a Ventura bus stop Zyanya’s mom said Friday that she planned to stay at the search table till dusk Zyanya’s mom stayed at the search table till 8:30 p.m July 12 and gathered people the next two days in Oxnard and Sunday in Ventura to continue to spread the word about her missing daughter A GoFundMe site at https://tinyurl.com/2r7ytc6b has been started to assist the family in its search for Zyanya You may also make a gift contribution online HERE Thank you for your support of local independent journalism Here's a roundup of recent incidents and announcements from Ventura County agencies:  Fire knocked down at Ojai Valley StarbucksA refrigerator caught fire inside a Starbucks along Highway 33 in the Mira Monte area Friday afternoon bringing Ventura County Fire Department personnel Crews arrived within minutes after the fire was reported around 3:45 p.m The highway is also called North Ventura Avenue along the stretch Everyone inside the shop got out before firefighters arrived The fire was contained to the refrigerator unit A 20-year-old Oxnard man was arrested Thursday night after a robbery at a smoke shop in El Rio Deputies with the Ventura County Sheriff's Office which patrols the unincorporated area near Oxnard received a report of a robbery in progress in the 2800 block of East Vineyard Avenue used a box cutter to hold up a clerk and took off with merchandise Deputies initially found and arrested one of the suspects The Oxnard man was arrested on suspicion of felonies for second-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit a crime as well as a misdemeanor for resisting a police officer He is being held on $60,000 bail and is set to appear in Ventura County Superior Court Tuesday He was arrested on suspicion of robbery and was also connected with an assault with a deadly weapon incident after the alleged smoke shop robbery Photo from GoFundMe Lisa Marie Hester of Ojai with her husband and eight children Authorities have released the name of the woman killed in a vehicle versus pedestrian crash in Mira Monte on July 31 along with more information about the accident According to the California Highway Patrol a 58-year-old Ojai man was driving a white Chevrolet Express Van southbound on SR-33 approaching the intersection of West Villanova Road To read the Ojai Valley News article about Lisa Hester's life and memorial service, visit: HERE A pedestrian waiting to cross the intersection in the crosswalk from the southwest corner entered the crosswalk just as the van entered the intersection and was hit by the front of the van There were conflicting witness reports about whether the van or the pedestrian had the green light at the time of the crash CHP Officer Ryan Ayala told the Ojai Valley News Ventura County firefighters administered CPR to the victim who was rushed to Ventura County Medical Center but later died from her injuries The CHP identified the victim as 43-year-old Lisa Marie Hester of Ojai The driver of the van remained at the scene following the crash and was determined not to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol The cause of the crash remains under investigation and anyone who witnessed it is asked to call the Ventura CHP office at 805-662-2640 A GoFundMe page has been created for the family at: https://tinyurl.com/262hpxnu The 2025 Central Section high school girls soccer finals were played this week Here's a list of postseason scores (story will be updated as final scores are reported): Ojai Valley News photo by Perry Van Houten  The Habit Burger Grill will be opening its latest restaurant in Mira Monte next week To celebrate the launch of the new restaurant and drive-thru at 11560 N guests can get a sneak peak and enjoy free chargrilled meals before the Wednesday Pre-opening VIP events are set for Saturday fries and drink.• On Monday and Tuesday will receive a free chargrilled meal from one of the restaurant’s preset menus Guests must be a Char Club member and present a VIP invitation. Sign up at habitburger.com/ojai The Mira Monte location will be the 11th Habit Burger Grill in Ventura County and the first drive-thru “It’s a long time coming,” said Jay Lopez district manager for the new location and manager of Habit Burger Grills from Thousand Oaks to Atascadero including the original location that opened in Goleta in 1969 Ever since a second Habit location opened in Ventura in 1996 Lopez has been hearing from customers who live in Ojai “‘When are you going to open up in Ojai?’ they’d say And then in 2019 when this location became available they were just in my ear all day long,” Lopez told the Ojai Valley News an Ojai resident who’s been with The Habit Burger Grill for 17 years “I jogged up the Ojai Valley Trail and watched the building as it was progressing,” he said The new restaurant and drive-thru is fully staffed with 29 employees The Habit Burger Grill is known for its signature Charburger and its distinctive smoky flavor “It’s made to order with the freshest ingredients and cooked over an open flame,” Lopez said “We have so many different things to offer.” The Habit Burger Grill also offers handcrafted sandwiches (including fresh marinated chicken and ahi tuna) “We’re kind of the no-veto restaurant People want to come to us because no one is going to say no,” Lopez said The 2,375-square-foot (plus patio) restaurant will offer dine-in, drive-thru and takeout, and delivery will be available via The Habit Mobile App and at order.habitburger.com Additional ordering options include indoor self-serve kiosks and delivery through Grubhub CharClub members receive a free Charburger on their birthday and new members can enjoy a free Charburger with cheese with the purchase of a regular size drink The Double Char is in the running for “America’s 10 Best Burgers” in a poll by USA Today The chain’s Tempura Green Beans are up for “Best Side.” The winners will be announced on July 17 Since its beginnings in Santa Barbara County 55 years ago The Habit Burger Grill has grown to more than 380 restaurants across 14 states and around the world Opening up a new location just an hour’s drive from the original restaurant is special director of culinary innovation at The Habit Burger Grill “Ojai’s got a lot going for it — great art scene awesome music festivals and some seriously beautiful outdoors,” he said “We’re excited to bring our chargrilled burgers flavor-packed sandwiches and the rest of our unique menu to the community.” The Habit Burger Grill restaurant and drive-thru will be open from 10 a.m Clovis Unified is pulling out all the stops for their students to thrive by opening several “wellness centers” across the district aimed at providing comprehensive mental health services for students and their families With one center at Tarpey Elementary School making Clovis the first school district in Fresno County to have more than one wellness center of students who are requiring mental health support,” said Michelle Dodson on getting students the support that they need…so they can access the learning and the education that we’re still trying to provide them.” This was all made possible by the collaboration of Miramonte’s staff All 4 Youth is a program merging the efforts of the Fresno County Department of Behavioral Health and the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools to provide a variety of services for students they plan to open a total of 13 wellness centers in Clovis alone The support given by the wellness center is multi-faceted: there are areas designed for children to relax and enjoy various activities “Wellness Wednesdays” that give children and families resources to better their mental health and even a room with a webcam set-up for families to speak with a tele-psychiatrist Speaking to this multi-functionality of the space “We look at educating the whole child in mind that we want to make sure that the whole student is being educated and ready to learn.” the focus on holistic education is immediately evident – the front entrance displays dozens of brochures with information on the All 4 Youth program The rest of the space invites children and families into a peaceful atmosphere complete with children’s games and various toys Senior Director of Behavioral Health Programs and Services at the Fresno County Office of Education spoke to the multi-functionality of the space as well was a barrier accessing medical services was space,” she stated it provides 3 additional treatment homes specifically for mental health.” services are provided for families that do not speak English families were also given a chance to preview mobile vans specifically created to provide “therapy on wheels.” There are a total of 4 mobile vans in the All 4 Youth program which aim to offer confidential space for counseling services to rural communities when space at schools The vehicle provides ample space and comfortable seating for individuals to relax during their therapy sessions The availability of the vehicle and the wellness center was made possible through the help of dedicated support a sentiment that was reflected by all in attendance at the opening of the center Dodson showed significant gratitude towards the county for their support in establishing the center “I don’t think it would have been possible without them.” Clovis Unified plans to implement 11 more of these centers throughout the district providing services across the area for children and families to get the support they need no matter where in Clovis they may be located The future is bright for this program and CUSD students who now have access to mental health support through the wellness center Families or students interested in using these services are encouraged to get in touch with their local wellness center or going to All 4 Youth’s website at https://all4youth.fcoe.org/ Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon The best of Time Out straight to your inbox We help you navigate a myriad of 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Palm Springs This new resort in the heart of Indian Wells boasts 215 guestrooms with that signature tropical design Tommy Bahama is known for Guests can explore the three saltwater pools It’s the first resort from the Tommy Bahama brand and it’s living up to its relaxed-meets-chic reputation citrus groves and flower gardens surround the peaceful grounds of the resort Families will love the two bocce ball courts and eight outdoor firepits for relaxing and hanging out after a long day in the desert Rooms feature custom Tommy Bahama + LAFCO amenities and many include private patios or balconies with garden or mountain views a pillow program menu—call the front desk to place your order for an ergonomic neck pillow There are three on-site dining options to keep the family happy Grapefruit Basil is their signature restaurant and bar with menu items like a Dungeness crab cake benedict Chiki Palm is their poolside bar which offers snacks like hummus If all of that isn’t enough to get you out of your room If you’re able to take a break from the kids a 12,000 square-foot spa with eleven treatment rooms and a large menu of desert-inspired wellness treatments Indian Wells is another quiet part of the desert It also hosts the sixth-largest tennis tournament in the world Borrow a fruit picker and a basket from the front desk and pick your own fresh fruit from the over 100 citrus trees located on the resort’s property Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! About us Contact us are handing out flyers and putting up signs like this one in front of their Mira Monte home in the hope someone will find their daughter and call 911 so she can be returned safely home Screenshot from video by Noah Frost/VCStringer A Ventura County helicopter crew lifts off from the Nordhoff Junior High and High School sports field on Friday during an extensive search for Zyanya Valora Parents of missing 21-year-old Zyanya Valora, Damaris and Gabriel Valora, who live in Country Village Mobile Home Park at 11195 N. Ventura Ave. in Mira Monte, recorded a video in English and Spanish earlier this week asking the public for help in finding their daughter The video can be viewed online at https://tinyurl.com/mt82dwak As of press time July 3, Sereney De Los Santos, public information officer with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, said there were no new leads on Zyanya’s disappearance. See daily updates at ojaivalleynews.com If anyone sees Zyanya (pronounced Zeeyanya sheriff’s officials ask that they call 911 Because Zyanya has become increasingly nonverbal and is very shy her parents say she might not respond to someone calling her name They said it is best that if anyone sees her they just keep her in their sights until law enforcement arrives to take her home Her parents said it is also possible that Zyanya is hiding Zyanya is considered an at-risk adult since she has been diagnosed with autism and may be experiencing a schizophrenic episode Sheriff’s investigators told Zyanya’s parents that they got a ping on Zyanya’s computer from her cell phone near an Airbnb’s wireless service about two blocks from her home She said no other signals from Zyanya’s phone had been detected as of press time July 3 Search-and-rescue crews and law enforcement from Ventura Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties have been looking for Zyanya since June 25 A command post was set up first at the new Habit restaurant on North Ventura Avenue and then at Nordhoff the search was significantly scaled back the afternoon of Sunday according to Ojai Police Chief Tina Newman The Sheriff's Office has “some people on the ground” still looking for Zyanya and a full-scale search could be reactivated at any time if there are any credible sightings or other useful information about Zyanya’s whereabouts Damaris Valora said the family is searching the area for Zyanya appealing to the public to help find her through television and distributing flyers and “missing person” signs They are also leaving bags with bottles of water and Zyanya’s favorite Golden Oreo cookies at places we’re trying our best to find her,” Damaris Valora said She added that the support of family members and the community “gives us strength to keep going I want to express my gratefulness to the people in Ojai and our family Zyanya is 5 feet tall and weighs 90 pounds She was last seen by her family wearing a white tank top and was likely barefoot since Zyanya’s shoes were still in the house Damaris Valora said she last saw Zyanya on Monday when Zyanya poked her head out of the bedroom while she and her husband were watching TV in the living room The  family made a trip to their storage unit the next day When they returned from the storage unit at 11 a.m. they noticed Zyanya was missing and began searching for her BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Mira Monte women’s soccer team had an incredible victory at state level. RELATED: Mira Monte wins the Division V Northern California Region state championship I feel so proud of myself and my teammates," said Alexa Ledezma I never thought we would have such a good record it was an uphill battle to get here for one of their players in particular Eyewitness News spoke with Jay Galeas in November of 2022 about his senior soccer season RELATED: Student speaks out on opposing soccer team forfeit due to his gender identity but a little over a year ago he started to transition into a male which angered some of his competitors who didn't think he should be allowed to play on a women's team anymore "My coach told me that the Granite Hills coach asked to make sure that I wasn’t a guy like if he wanted some sort of proof or something." the other team forfeited the game over his eligibility to play- but according to the Kern High School District’s policy “no person shall be subjected to discrimination on the basis of disability Jay is taking this state championship as a win in his book “I just want to let everybody know even as a transman you’re able to play whatever sport you want and you shouldn’t let nobody judge you." The largest developer of affordable housing in Ventura County is planning to build a supportive-housing project in Mira Monte would construct 48 new studio units on the site of the old Gaslight Restaurant at 11432 North Ventura Ave The vacant restaurant would be demolished to accommodate the complex on the 0.99-acre project site The units would be income-restricted to area residents who qualify in two income-and-needs categories Half of the 48 units would be reserved for local residents experiencing homelessness and who have chronic and severe illnesses The other 24 units would be reserved for low-income wage earners According to a 2022 affordable-housing needs report done by the county of Ventura renters in the county need to make 3.1 times the minimum wage to afford average market-rate rent Rents in the county have increased by 13% from 2020 to 2021 while state and federal funding has decreased by 23% the homeless population in Ojai has doubled since 2017 according to the Ventura County Continuum of Care Alliance The total homeless population in the county has been on an upward trend for the past five years Homelessness has been worsened by the pandemic according to the Continuum of Care Alliance CEDC has built a total of 1,782 units across 48 properties for people with low incomes It’s the same agency that developed Montgomery Oaks at 508 N the complex features 20 two- and three- bedroom rental townhomes that house approximately 100 residents The Camino de Salud project site currently has a land-use designation of commercial it intends to submit a ministerial zoning clearance application to develop the project which has been determined to be eligible for fast-tracking through recent state laws (AB 2162 and SB 35) that encourage this type of development The two- and three-story housing complex would include a two-bedroom unit for the on-site property manager two parking lots with 27 vehicle parking spaces extreme drought-tolerant landscaping and a residential community garden Supporting services would include helping residents with medical dental and psychiatric doctor appointments On-site amenities such as perimeter fencing state-of-the-industry efficient plumbing fixtures net-zero energy efficiency and bicycle parking would also be included Local amenities would consist of nearby access to bus and trolley stops the project has the support of local organizations such as Continuum of Care Alliance Clinicas del Camino Real and Ventura County Behavioral Health the Ojai Valley Municipal Advisory Council heard a presentation from CEDC on the project Comments from the MAC were largely supportive of the project though Councilmember Barbara Kennedy expressed some concern about constructing a three-story building in the Ojai Valley Ojai City Councilmember William Weirick said he is impressed with the project and suggested the applicant consider adding storage units and charging stations for e-bikes The agenda item was informational only and no action or vote was required or taken According to the Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office Authorities have ruled the deaths of two people found deceased in their Mira Monte home on Nov while Friedman’s death was ruled a suicide the Medical Examiner’s Office told the Ojai Valley News The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office has not released a motive in the case The investigation into the deaths of the married couple began after deputies from the Ojai Police Station responded to the home in the 1200 block of Cruzero Street on a welfare check The response was requested by a family member who said he’d received “a concerning letter” from the couple according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office They found the bodies of Phelps and Friedman detectives with the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit the Ojai Police Department and the Medical Examiner’s Office completed an investigation and recovered a firearm at the scene Anyone with information on the deaths can call Sheriff’s Major Crimes Detective Meagan Yates at 805-384-4731, or email Meaghan.Yates@ventura.org People wishing to provide information anonymously can call Ventura County Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (KBAK/KBFX) — The Mira Monte high school girl's soccer team (28-2-3 6-0 league) won the Division V Northern California Region state championship by beating No BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) - Eyewitness News on Thursday obtained a copy of the investigation school board officials cited in their decision to remove Principal Jaime Quinonez from Mira Monte High School in east Bakersfield The Kern High School District Teachers Association came out in force in recent weeks against Quinonez at school board meetings accusing the principal of mistreating employees some of whom were upset that one of the district's only three Hispanic administrators was in the union's crosshairs The district hired a Fresno-based law firm Gilmore-Magness-Leifer to investigate the complaints Attorney Daniel Rowley spent more than 100 hours interviewing more than 50 employees in a quest for information about the environment at the high school Rowley ultimately sided with the teacher's union writing in a 10-page summary that credible evidence exists to support six of the seven complaints including that Quinonez bullied employees and retaliated against some who took part in a sexual harassment investigation.He also said he found evidence to support the union's claim that Quinonez pressured teachers to change the grades of failing students and that he unfairly targeted employees he no longer wanted at the school.The union also accused Quinonez of gender discrimination but Rowley said he found no such evidence.Four of the five school board trustees (the fifth trustee was absent) last week voted to release principal Quinonez saying that he would be re-assigned within the district defended his client's character."When you have an employee in this type of setting who has the years of experience and the caliber of integrity of Mr those are the type of employees that you want to keep," he said “The community is our classroom,” said Shawna Garritson the new director of Valley Oak Charter School Garritson spoke with the Ojai Valley News on July 11 at the school’s campus on El Centro Street  in the Mira Monte area Garritson is an educator with a background in charter schools having been part of the founding group of Big Sur Charter School She holds a master’s degree in Education for Sustainability from Antioch University an international author and speaker on place-based education with a focus on children’s connection to the natural world She started in her role the first week of July She compared Big Sur to Ojai in that there is a “generation displaced” by children not having a place in the community “If children feel connected to their community If the community is connected to their children housing and jobs available,” said Garritson through seeing the common ground we all share That focus on connection to “place” takes root in place-based educational curriculum across all grades Garritson said projects that are part of that include oral histories of local people She described a project of making food maps — working with local residents to map where all the fruit trees are Mapping the watershed connects the students to where the water comes from High school projects aim to build connection through building job skills needed in the community Garritson said a smaller charter school like Valley Oak can be flexible and adapt Now we are more focused on how children learn,” said Garritson Now the key skill to build is “how to process information This lends itself to building a personalized program for each student.” Garritson will be working with the Valley Oak board on four areas in the coming year: student learning; facilities and the school property; board governance; and community building Valley Oak Charter is a free K-12 public school authorized by the Ojai Unified School District OUSD has capped the charter school’s enrollment at 75 students Valley Oak Charter provides a homeschool-based program with three days of on- campus Details: cache-fra-eddf8230058-FRA 1746507195 1702925443 BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) – Four students were arrested after fights broke out at Mira Monte High School Kern High School District spokeswoman Lisa Krch said three separate fights took place Thursday Krch said those allegedly responsible will face “appropriate student discipline.” She couldn’t go into specifics District police used pepper spray to stop students from fighting Thursday She didn’t say what sparked the fights or say if they were connected in any way Additional district police officers will be on campus Friday to ensure student safety Welcome Mickeymickey@disney.comManage MyDisney AccountLog OutLAUSD approves another $3.55M to settle sexual abuse claims at Miramonte schoolCity News ServiceWednesday 2024The $3.55 million settlement of two sexual abuse claims is in addition to tens of millions paid previously for other victims at Miramonte.LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- Attorneys representing two additional victims of a former Miramonte Elementary School teacher convicted of sexually abusing children announced Tuesday that a collective $3.55 million settlement of both cases has been reached with the Los Angeles Unified School District A plaintiff identified only as Jane RE Doe settled for $1.85 million and John AE Doe settled for $1.7 million In their separate Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuits the plaintiffs alleged that former Miramonte teacher Mark Berndt sexually harassed abused and molested the victims on multiple occasions ranging from in or around 2004 through 2008 Berndt pleaded no contest in 2013 to 23 charges of lewd conduct upon a child and was sentenced to 25 years in prison He was accused in that case of feeding cookies laced with bodily fluids to children and of taking pictures of them sometimes with tape over their eyes and mouths The newly settled lawsuits alleged that the Miramonte administration and LAUSD officials ignored multiple complaints by parents students and teachers regarding Berndt's sexual misconduct with children dating back to the early 1980s the LAUSD agreed to pay a record $140 million to 81 victims who were allegedly sexually abused by Berndt The district also paid about $30 million in claims to the families of 65 Miramonte students "This settlement represents one more chapter in a horrendous scandal," plaintiffs' attorney Morgan Stewart said "Ten years after the largest sexual abuse settlement against a public school district it is a continuing reminder of the damage that results when school officials choose to ignore red flags and complaints by students and parents of a serial sexual predator This remains a serious problem within LAUSD and will never be solved until these officials are held personally responsible.'' 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tommy Bahama has announced plans for the debut of a new resort concept with the introduction of the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa in Indian Wells  For 30 years Tommy Bahama has brought the resort lifestyle to its guests through a wide range of products combined with extraordinary hospitality in its retail stores  This expertise has uniquely positioned the authentic lifestyle brand to cross over into the resort business.  The first Tommy Bahama resort will debut in Late 2023 making a minority equity investment in the project Tommy Bahama believes there is potential for additional resorts in the future "This is a natural progression of the Tommy Bahama brand," said Doug Wood "We have been talking about the idea of a Tommy Bahama resort for decades and believe that our brand's aesthetic successful $100 million food and beverage business and guest feedback support our brand's evolution into new areas of the hospitality industry.  The Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa is a great way for us to extend our brand and give our guests the resort experience they are looking for." "Lowe has been in business in the Coachella Valley for nearly 50 years.  As long-time members of the Desert community we are thrilled to bring the Tommy Bahama brand and experience to our guests at Miramonte," said Lowe Chairman Bob Lowe Tommy Bahama had been in talks with Lowe for several years regarding the Miramonte property Following more than a decade of involvement with the Resort Lowe purchased Miramonte in 2020 and invested capital to restore the property including creating the signature Olive Grove outdoor lounge and dining area.  For the final phase of the renovation Lowe will infuse the Tommy Bahama lifestyle and design aesthetic into the Resort debuting a new concept indoor/outdoor restaurant transforming the bar experience and opening a retail boutique. The resort will remain open during the transformation "We've always known that our style of food and beverage is transportive Our unique approach to elevated yet relaxed service is ideal for resorts and delivering our brand of hospitality," said Rob Goldberg "To have the opportunity to deliver those experiences in a resort setting gives us a much broader canvas to paint on as we create new experiences for our guests." The Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa will offer 215 custom appointed rooms including 23 suites 35,000 square feet of meeting and event space (20,000 square feet indoor and signature treatments at the 12,000-square-foot spa The entire property will receive the Tommy Bahama design aesthetic The new Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa will be an ideal destination for leisure travelers retreats and weddings as well as a locals' hangout Tommy Bahama has a well-established presence in the Coachella Valley Bar and Store in Palm Desert opened in 1998 followed by the Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar and store in Palm Springs in 2018  A Tommy Bahama Home store will open this year the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa will create another way for guests to experience the brand Do not sell or share my personal information: (KBAK/KBFX) – Mira Monte High School is releasing students at 10:30 a.m and sack lunches are available in the cafeteria Pacific Gas and Electric said the outage affecting the school started shortly after 8 a.m An "equipment issue" is being blamed by the utility but there's evidence that a car hit a nearby power pole The Miramonte Resort and Spa in Indian Wells will reopen in 2021 under a new owner and management after staying closed through most of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.  a commercial real estate investor and developer, announced Monday that it purchased the 215-room resort-style property the Miramonte has multiple suites and bungalows onsite Property records show the hotel fell into foreclosure due to being in default of $92,165 dollars as of late May Sale records weren't immediately available Tuesday and a Lowe representative declined to share the price they paid for the property called the Miramonte "a stunning property" that offers a quintessential California experience a former affiliate called Lowe Enterprises Investment Management acquired the Miramonte on behalf of an investment client It was managed by a Lowe hospitality affiliate until 2014 when the property was sold and put under new ownership and management the hotel will be managed by Lowe’s subsidiary "We are thrilled to be involved with this property again and our history with the asset uniquely positions Lowe to successfully guide Miramonte’s reopening," Lowe said in a news release.  The property originally opened in 1963 as the Erawan Gardens hotel It was rebranded as the Miramonte Resort & Spa in 1998 after undergoing a $28 million renovation the Miramonte expects to employ about 75 people.  Lowe has also been involved in other desert properties over the years Hard times for hospitality Miramonte isn't the first property to change hands in the desert this year. This fall, the Margaritaville Resort Palm Springs opened up in what used to be The Riveria on the corner of Indian Canyon Drive and Vista Chino in Palm Springs Current commercial real estate listings show several other hotels for sale in the desert including the Travelodge and adjacent properties in Palm Springs the 18-room Monkey Tree Hotel in Palm Springs and the seven-room The Good House Hotel in Desert Hot Springs Nationwide, many hotels are on the verge of closing or selling as the pandemic puts a halt to leisure and business travel. The historic Roosevelt Hotel in New York closed in October unprecedented environment and the continued uncertain impact from COVID-19." The American Hotel and Lodging Association in September estimated more than 28,000 hotels would be foreclosed or closed without any federal relief for businesses The American Hotel and Lodging Association in September estimated more than 28,000 hotels would be foreclosed or closed without any federal pandemic relief seven out of 10 hotels said they wouldn’t make it another six months without more federal assistance Following the passage of a $900 billion package this week AHLA president and CEO Chip Rogers said in a statement that the “long-overdue agreement” will help the hotel industry survive the crisis He said the second round of Paycheck Protection Program loans along with a one-year extension of a debt-restricting policy that will help borrowers avoid falling into default But Rogers also said this is a short-term deal “We look forward to working with Congress and the new Administration on a longer-term stimulus package that will ensure our industry survives and is well-positioned to help the country recover economically once the public health threat subsides," Rogers said in a news release Open or close? Desert restaurants weigh public health consequences amid shutdown Vacation rentals: A brewing ballot fight tops off heated debate in California desert Scott White of the Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitors Bureau said area hotels are expecting 10% to 15% occupancy this December and January The holidays are usually a bustling time for the desert But a regional stay-at-home-order is in place due to alarmingly low levels of available ICU beds in Southern California hospitals; under the order's rules hotels are not supposed to house anyone who isn't traveling for essential reasons unless they're staying long enough to quarantine.  White said the new federal relief package could help bridge the gap between now and the early summer when many industry experts predict that leisure travel could pick up which typically provide a big boost to desert tourism aren't expected to bounce back until fall 2021.  White and his travel cohorts in the desert are encouraging permanent residents to order take-out and buy gift cards from local restaurants; that industry has been hit hard by the prohibition of outdoor dining under the current shutdown rules and the vast array of restaurants in the desert are largely propelled by the bump in tourism that isn't happening this year.  "The first five months of the year are critical for our industry and a recovery can’t come soon enough," White said.  Melissa Daniels covers economic development hospitality and local business in the Coachella Valley Construction is underway at a new The Habit Burger Grill restaurant in Mira Monte A shuttered Wendy’s restaurant in Mira Monte will be replaced this spring by a The Habit Burger Grill franchise a spokesperson for the chain told the Ojai Valley News on Jan The restaurant will offer drive-thru service according to a banner at the construction site The first The Habit opened in Santa Barbara in 1969 A second location opened in Ventura in 1996 There are a total of 364 The Habit restaurants in the United States with California having the most locations at 258 — According to the California Department of Transportation from Mira Monte to the Ventura-Santa Barbara County line full closures were made for both the eastbound and westbound of HWY 150 the closures starts from Santa Ana Road in Mira Monte Ventura County and ends just before entering Carpinteria Santa Barbara County near Stanley Park Road and Gobernador Canyon Road there is no estimated time for reopening HWY 150 To check for updates visit Caltrans QuickMap Multi-media Journalist and Tipline investigations Follow me on my social media for more news and insights News Channel 3-12 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Service Privacy Policy Community Guidelines FCC Public File EEO Public File Report FCC Applications Do Not Sell My Personal Information Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here the Kern High School District Board of Trustees voted to remove Jaime Quinonez as principal of Mira Monte High School and reassign him elsewhere.Four of the five school board members voted for removal one board member was absent during the special meeting which met in closed session Friday morning.The controversy has centered around complaints from some teachers at Mira Monte ranging from an alleged hostile work environment to bullying and Quinonez allegedly asking a teacher to change student grades."Fear These are the words that define my experience at Mira Monte High School," teacher Rachel Grunsky said at the board meeting May 4.KHSD board president Chad Vegas said the district contracted the legal team of Gilmore Magness and Leifer to investigate the allegations against Quinonez Attorney Daniel Rowley conducted the investigation and interviewed Quinonez and staff from the school."He investigated it thoroughly He came back with his findings," said Vegas."I don't agree with that at all," said attorney Gabe Godinez who is representing Quinonez."When you have an employee in any type of setting who has the years and experience and the caliber of integrity as Mister Quinonez those are they type of employees you keep," said Quinonez.Civil and labor rights activist Dolores Huerta also takes issue with the decision to demote the principal questioning the motive behind the board's action."We are very suspicious about this whole action that's been taken," said Huerta.Huerta said Quinonez fell out of disfavor with the district because he has not been afraid to question practices when it comes to district spending."All of a sudden Jaime is not a good boy anymore," said Huerta.KHSD has not said where it plans to reassign Quinonez An affordable housing project in the Ojai Valley called Camino de Salud received more than $3.5 million in federal funding — one of the last pieces needed to complete financing and get construction underway In addition to the award secured by Congressman Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, through the National Housing Trust Fund and announced in February, developer Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation has also applied for the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program The total development cost is about $35 million and the tax credits would fill the remaining gap director of real estate development for Cabrillo a Ventura-based nonprofit developer of affordable housing A decision on the tax credit application is expected by May construction of the 49-unit project could begin in November in unincorporated Mira Monte Previously, Camino de Salud received $955,874 through the county’s Permanent Local Housing Allocation program in April 2023 and $7.68 million through the Housing for a Healthy California program in July 2022 The housing is meant to help low-income Ventura County residents and those experiencing homelessness. With the county's 2023 point-in-time Homeless Count Ojai recorded 44 homeless people from a total of 2,441 across Ventura County “It's incredibly important to make sure that those individuals that are experiencing homelessness actually have an opportunity to get back on their feet,” Carbajal said to be able to deal with the challenges that they are facing will essentially be a three-story building with 48 studios and one two-bedroom manager apartment two parking lots and amenities like on-site maintenance While people who are homeless or facing homelessness would have to secure rent to live in the building according to the market study report shared by Wada dental and psychiatric care and training to help residents find and retain jobs provided through a case manager or community partners Half of the units will be reserved for residents who are homeless and who have chronic or severe illnesses and the remaining half will be reserved for low-income earners, making 80% or less of the area median income which is $74,400 for a single-person household Ventura County Supervisor Matt LaVere’s office said that for the 2021-2029 period, the county's housing goal is 1,262 units This goal is broken down by income categories ranging from extremely low-income to above-moderate income According to the data from 2021 and 2022, 380 units had been approved making 30% of the target New 2023 data being released later this month will show that the county has produced over 60% of the housing units anticipated in this cycle “There's a crisis of affordable housing in Ventura County generally and I think the Ojai Valley is not immune from that,” LaVere said “There's a need for more affordable housing countywide and there are a lot of new state laws that have gone into effect that significantly limit local jurisdictions from stopping the development of affordable housing.” residents near the site initially had concerns about the height of the building the number of units and the impact the resulting population density would have on Highway 33 the county senior planner tasked with the Camino de Salud project said the property currently has a building that used to be a restaurant and has been vacant for a while She said people were using the building without permission and it was deemed a nuisance the old restaurant building will be demolished The project went before the Ojai Municipal Advisory Council said that some neighbors objected to the project the developer has to submit a building permit application before the zoning clearance expires in August 2024 has been re-issued twice since they expire every six months said she supports the project but the location is not ideal for traffic on Highway 33 Many other businesses are restricted from opening due to traffic mitigation policies Kennedy added that nearby there's a convenience store I don't think it's the right type of services necessarily for the transitional housing that they were referring to,” she said Dua Anjum is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at dua.anjum@vcstar.com This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation's Fund to Support Local Journalism 11-Acre Property Represents the 30-Year-Old Lifestyle Brand's First Resort Destination 11-Acre Property Represents the 30-Year Old Lifestyle Brand's First Resort Destination "We're excited to open the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa and bring our relaxed lifestyle brand to the luxury travel industry," said Doug Wood we're crafting an entirely new concept of leisure fusing the essence of our brand with the unparalleled beauty of this desert oasis and creating a destination where every moment feels like a timeless escape." "Combining Tommy Bahama's skillful design concepting with Lowe's expertise in developing inspiring environments has created a truly special experience," said Robert J "With our hospitality management subsidiary our guests will receive the same world class service they have come to expect from Miramonte." Tommy Bahama has a well-established presence in the Palm Springs area Bar and Store in Palm Desert opened in 1998 followed by the Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar in Palm Springs in 2018 and the Tommy Bahama Home store in 2023 Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa operates in partnership with Lowe and CoralTree Hospitality Future resorts are planned in other locations LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio The source of the monies for the settlement is in dispute because LAUSD's insurers argue they do not cover sex abuse judgements What is the mechanism for deciding compensatory damages Does a record-breaking sum such as this spur any arguments for tort reform Attorney for plaintiffs in the Miramonte schools case; Partner with Manly Chapman University School of Law in Orange